"Young hero Ye, there’s no need for you to hide your head and show your tail. I take it you’re that ancient mighty one who opened the Gate of the Immortal Realm, yes? If so, you don’t need to conceal yourself here. We in the Immortal Realm can be considered of the same lineage as you—all of us cultivate Spiritual Energy—so why bother using your profound cultivation to fuss with us juniors?" Zhang Tian said, his tone carrying some awe.

Zhang Tian couldn’t help but be awed, because he understood very clearly that this Ye Fan before him, as well as the two female cultivators at Ye Fan’s side, all had cultivation that defied common sense. Even if all of them Immortal Lords joined forces, they still wouldn’t be a match for Ye Fan. Even if someone else took their place to fight Ye Fan, the outcome would be the same—defeat.

A male Immortal at the side said, "Daoist Zhang Tian, what are you saying? This brat is actually an ancient mighty one?"

"I think he’s not only an ancient mighty one, he’s very likely one of the top-ranked ancient mighty ones. If he’s not Pan Gu, then he might be Fu Xi... or Emperor Jun and the like. Young hero Ye, am I right?" Daoist Zhang Tian thought he had completely grasped Ye Fan’s identity, and asked in a probing tone.

The reason he was so certain Ye Fan wasn’t human but an ancient mighty one was because he didn’t want to admit the Immortal Realm’s incompetence.

If so many people in the Immortal Realm couldn’t even defeat a single ordinary person, then the meaning of their cultivation was practically being negated by Ye Fan. They had no desire to admit that they weren’t even as good as a mere man. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Now they were just giving themselves an escape route; one by one they had lost all the bearing of Immortals.

Ye Fan smiled and said, "If I were an ancient mighty one, that would give you all the more face. You could even feel that the people of the Immortal Realm didn’t lose to a mortal—that it’s your honor, is that it?"

Daoist Zhang Tian was directly pierced to the heart by Ye Fan’s words; he felt a bit embarrassed, and sighed lightly. "Take it as that if you like. Young hero Ye, you might as well tell us your true identity..."

Ye Fan smiled without replying. Instead, Xuan Nv grew even more indignant and said, "You people of the Immortal Realm really have cultivated in vain. After reaching the Immortal Realm, you neglect proper cultivation, splitting into sects and factions, still engaging in your internal power struggles and forgetting the true meaning of cultivation. Isn’t supreme cultivation precisely what you’re supposed to be pursuing?"

Because Xuan Nv’s reprimand carried the tone of an ancient mighty one, Zhang Tian and the others became all the more certain that Ye Fan must indeed be an ancient mighty one.

They themselves had been puzzled at why the people of the Immortal Realm would open up—but now it seemed that someone outside with incredibly powerful cultivation had forced the Gate of the Immortal Realm open from the other side.

"I’m very sorry to disappoint you all," Ye Fan said, "I am not any so-called ancient mighty one. But these two before me are indeed ancient cultivators. However, they have now signed a Blood Oath with me and are fighting for the salvation of the common people. Are none of you considering directly joining my banner? The time limit I’ve given you is almost up!"

Daoist Zhang Tian exchanged looks with the Immortal Lords beside him. They still refused to believe the fact that Ye Fan was just an ordinary person.

"You... you’re not an ancient mighty one?" Daoist Zhang Tian exclaimed.

Xi He said coldly, "Are you really that hung up on who my master is? Rather than that, you should think about the situation of you people of the Immortal Realm. Right now we’re not threatening you—we’re reasoning with you. You are already surrounded by my master’s cultivation. At a single word from him, you can all be reduced to ashes... but that is precisely the outcome those ancient mighty ones who created the Pan Gu Secret Realm never wished to see. Their goal was for the people of the Immortal Realm to shoulder the responsibility of saving living beings. It seems... Pan Gu really did miscalculate somewhat. He alone could surpass so many of you Immortals, so why bother letting you mortals enter the cultivation world at all? It would’ve been better to rely on the ancient cultivators of old..."

Daoist Zhang Tian was just about to say something when Ye Fan had already raised his hand. It was obvious that Ye Fan’s patience was almost at its limit.

Ye Fan had given Daoist Zhang Tian a final ultimatum, but Daoist Zhang Tian seemed to think Ye Fan wouldn’t dare do anything to him and was still interrogating Ye Fan about his identity. Even now, these people refused to acknowledge defeat.

"Young hero Ye, whether you admit to your identity or not, we must acknowledge that our skills are inferior. From this moment on, the people of the Immortal Realm... will temporarily fall under your command. But if you ever go against righteousness and do something like condoning heavenly tribulations, then we of the Immortal Realm will be irreconcilable enemies with you!" Daoist Zhang Tian still managed to say this last bit with some momentum.

By saying this he was also saving face for the people of the Immortal Realm, making them seem unyieldingly steadfast—but at this point they had already submitted.

The people behind Zhang Tian were mostly filled with unwillingness. A few of them even wanted to go back out and gather those several thousand Immortals outside to form a powerful Array to attack Ye Fan and fight him to mutual destruction.

Ye Fan said, "At least you know what’s good for you. Now, can you go to the front and announce this at the Grand Assembly of All Immortals, in front of all the people of the Immortal Realm?"

"Of course!" Daoist Zhang Tian said. "Young hero Ye, then can you also reveal your true identity?"

Ye Fan said indifferently, "My name is Ye Fan, I come from Earth. My cultivation has not yet reached ascension, and I am the current Alliance Hierarch of the major sects within the Pan Gu Secret Realm..."

...

...

The Immortals at the front were still making a bit of a ruckus. They were shocked as to why those Immortal Lords had gone down into the volcanic crater and still hadn’t come out.

Some even said someone should go in and ask what was going on. But because Immortal Lords had exalted status in the Immortal Realm, effectively being the makers of its laws and rules, these Immortals outside didn’t dare offend them and could only grumble a bit.

Just as the crowd of Immortals were growing impatient, Zhang Tian—the one with the highest status among the Immortal Lords—finally appeared before them with several dozen Immortal Lords in tow.

And behind the group of Immortal Lords were three faces that seemed unfamiliar to the Immortals present.

But the people of the Immortal Realm weren’t all that familiar with each other to begin with, so they weren’t particularly surprised—just curious as to why three ordinary Immortals would appear among the ranks of the Immortal Lords.

The scene instantly quieted down. On the vast plain, the many Immortals all displayed their abilities, but at this moment they all had to descend and look toward the gathered Immortal Lords.

The Immortal Lords were standing in the highest position, yet everyone seemed to be consciously retreating backward. Daoist Zhang Tian stood at the very front, and behind him was a young Immortal. Behind this young Immortal stood two female cultivators, followed by the other Great Immortal Lords.

"Daoist Zhang Tian, may I ask what’s going on with those by your side?" an Immortal asked.

In the Immortal Realm, the order of identity and status was paramount. Those with higher cultivation stood in front, those with lower in back, and the sequence would be recalibrated every few years. This was regarded as an iron law of the Immortal Realm—yet now that iron law seemed to have been broken.